The immigration control post of Uruguaiana, on the border with Paso de Los Libres, has not registered a tourist movement like this Monday since the beginning of the World Cup.
A major border crossing point for Argentines into Brazil, the city in Rio Grande do Sul was, by 7pm, crossed by 2,869 hermanos who continued on to Porto Alegre, where they will watch their national team face Nigeria tomorrow, at Beira-Rio Stadium. Between Friday and Sunday, 3,952 Argentines entered Rio Grande do Sul via Uruguaiana.
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Two barrabravas were sent back home, totaling 11 Argentines barred thus far for being on the list of 2,100 fans deemed dangerous.
The intense flow resulted in long lines in the morning and in the early afternoon. There were moments in which about 300 people were waiting for immigration procedures, many having to stand outside the customs building due to overcrowding. Some fans had to wait up to three hours to be allowed to enter Brazil.
- It is a long time, but it is understandable considering the amount of people who are here - said Sebastián Dufek, who came from Corrientes.
The Federal Police was operating at maximum capacity, working at all the 14 booths available at customs, which was not enough to reduce waiting time during the most critical periods. The crowd was so large in the morning that the Federal Road Police requested the support of 30 armed men from the 2nd Mechanized Cavalry Brigade, from the Uruguaiana Army, to maintain security. No incidents have been reported.
The Argentine authorities expect 120,000 of its citizens to be in Porto Alegre between today and Thursday. Many of them were already in Brazil, following the national team since the beginning of the World Cup, while the others entered the country by land or airports.
The movement during the World Cup is surpassed only by the numbers in summer months. In the first month of 2014, the immigration control post tallied 116,000 entries into the country, the majority being Argentines on holiday headed to the Brazilian beaches.
The number of visitors who, after crossing the border, look for information about places to camp in Porto Alegre is remarkable. Many of them do not have a hotel reservation and want to stay in tents.
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